Scuderia Ferrari HP delivered its strongest result of the season so far at the Monaco Grand Prix, with Charles Leclerc finishing second in front of his home crowd and Lewis Hamilton climbing from seventh on the grid to fifth. The team’s 28-point haul brings Ferrari within just five points of second place in the Constructors’ Championship.
A Strategic Battle on the Streets of Monte Carlo
Leclerc narrowly missed out on pole position during Saturday’s qualifying but maintained a solid second place from lights out to the chequered flag. Hamilton, starting seventh after a grid penalty, gained positions through smart strategy and strong pace, ultimately finishing fifth.
Both drivers executed two-stop strategies, adapting to the high degradation on Monaco’s street circuit. Leclerc started on medium tyres, pitting on lap 22 for Hards, and again on lap 49 for a final stint on Mediums. Hamilton began on Hards, stopped on lap 18 for another set of Hards, and made a final switch to Mediums on lap 56.
Leclerc led the race briefly after Norris pitted on lap 18 but returned to second after his own stop four laps later. Despite Verstappen’s off-strategy gamble, the Monegasque remained a constant threat, ultimately earning “Driver of the Day” honors from Formula 1 fans.
Charles Leclerc (#16) – P2
“It’s a shame we couldn’t take the win today, but we gave it everything. At the end of the day, we lost the victory yesterday and Lando just did a better job—he deserves the win.
Still, P2 exceeds the expectations we had going into this weekend. As Ferrari, we are lucky to have great support all around the world, but being from here and seeing all the Monegasque people behind me really warms my heart. I realised my childhood dream last year by winning here, and although it didn’t work out today, I hope to be back on the top step next year.”
Lewis Hamilton (#44) – P5
“I knew starting from P7 would be a challenge, but it’s good to see our progress. Once I found clean air, I could push and gain some ground, although we lost time in traffic and the balance wasn’t perfect.
Still, we came away with a podium for Charles and strong points for the team. We’ve made a step in qualifying, which was a key goal. A huge thanks to the whole team—we’re heading in the right direction. Now it’s all about keeping that momentum going into Barcelona.”
Fred Vasseur – Team Principal, Scuderia Ferrari HP
“Overall, we can be pleased with this result. Today we got everything possible out of the race, especially given how hard overtaking is here.
With Lewis’ penalty, we had just one car to challenge the two McLarens, which made things tricky. Charles handled it brilliantly, keeping Lando under pressure all race long, while Lewis had strong pace and fought his way back into the top five.
We’ve seen progress in both high- and low-speed corners, which is encouraging. We’ll stay focused and keep pushing for more in the races to come.”
Looking Ahead: Barcelona Awaits
Scuderia Ferrari HP now heads to Spain for the final leg of the European triple-header. The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will host round nine of the 2025 season next Sunday.